11/03/2025 - The network of European distributors zooms in again on the important element representing the daily work of professionals

Next week, Europa Distribution will be back in Sofia, Bulgaria to organise its traditional workshop “Effective Communication in Professional Interactions, Team Management and Negotiation” during the Sofia International Film Festival's Sofia Meetings, taking place from March 19-23. The closed workshop, will see the participation of around 20 distributors from all over Europe and this year again, it will be enriched by a working session with Europa Cinemas, the European network regrouping cinemas exhibitors.

Efficient communication is a powerful tool to manage different contexts such as negotiation and professional interactions, which represent the daily work of distributors. It’s a specific way to relate to other professionals and offers keys to cope with stress, time, needs, emotions and different personality types. Thanks to this specific workshop, which is built on theory, exercises, sharing of experience and situation analysis, attending distributors will identify the most effective communication and negotiation styles according to a specific situation and learn how to improve their communication skills in order to acquire, sell and promote films, interact with colleagues and manage their team at best. The workshop will be led by Belgium's Patrick Zacharis, Business Coach & Sustainable Talents Developer.

The collaborative session between Europa Distribution and Europa Cinemas will provide a valuable platform for all participants, distributors and exhibitors, to exchange best practices and ideas across the customer-facing areas of the film industry and to explore synergies between their strategies. The aim is to foster cooperation and collaboration to make a lasting impact on the future of Europe’s dynamic independent film scene.

Attending distributors will also participate in the Sofia Meetings activities: market screenings of Bulgarian and Balkan films, meetings and professional networking events.

The workshop on Efficient communication in Professional Interactions, Team management and Negotiation is part of a series of training and networking activities that Europa Distribution offers to independent distributors during the whole year, in partnership with several international film markets & festivals in Europe.

Europa Distribution will organise various events in 2025, for distributors to discuss with diverse film professionals and experts about the challenges related to the release and promotion of independent European films. Right after the workshop in Sofia, the next activity leads ED members to Copenhagen for a workshop on the release of European documentaries at CPH:DOX from 23-26 March. In April we host the closing session for the EDMS mentorship programme in Brussels on 11 April, and a workshop focusing on Asian releases in the scope of Focus Asia, Udine from 27-30 April. Europa Distribution renewed its partnership with Annecy International Animation Film Festival and will be hosting a working session on the distribution and exhibition of animation films across diverse regions together with CICAE -International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas, from 10-12 June.